Horological Meandering

xto · 2024-10-16T04:05:56Z

Switzerland watch highlights: Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Roger Dubuis, Parmigiani, tourbillons, escapements, artisans.

personal highlights from W&W plus more

Please forgive overlap with posts made at the time and forgive me if the formatting is bad - I haven't before done a long post and I'm still learning how to get things sized right.

Also, the things that touched me are not necessarily the obvious heavy hitters - no Pateks here, no Rolexes, no APROs - so if that's what interests you, you maybe disappointed.

With that preamble, here's what I loved about my week in Switzerland (not even mentioning food and drives in the country!)

A visit to Manufacture Breguet where I was able to show how their demonstration of anglage two years ago had inspired me to do some of my own

At Musee des Ateliers Audemars Piguet, trying my hand at perlage

Then at W&W,

A long chat with product managers at Roger Dubuis in which I learned that they use tourbillons not because they (mis)believe that they add precision but because they allow “stacking” of the escapement, allowing greater freedom in movement layout.

In the Parmigiani Fleurier booth I learned that “rattrapante” can (of course) be applied to hour hands, not just second hands which in turn they employed in a GMT watch with a very tempting dial

Discussing with Christian Fleurier the aesthetics of making a design feature out of a simple click spring, the heritage aspects of their very delicate (and appealing) hands and the importance of movement and dial layout decisions.

Seeing the prototype of a Frederique Constant tourbillon with a most beguiling aventurine dial (non-published photo as the watch is not publicly offered – the dial is much more blue than captured here)

Seeing the Vacheron Constantin Berkley watch – impressive but a pocket watch only if one has literally very deep and strong pockets!

Watching an artisan in the Ulysses Nardin booth doing guilloche by hand, with his thumb pressure ensuring that the graver doesn’t dig too deep and ruin the pattern

Seeing a power tool being used in the Jaeger-Lecoultre booth to create bevels on movements. And here I thought (hoped?) that all anglage was by hand!

Getting the chance to adjust the clutch of a Zenith El Primero

Seeing the co-axial escapement coming alive in the Omega DeVille Tourbillon at the Omega boutique at the factory – too big for my wrist and my wallet. I wish they would publish a video that focused on that unique escapement, it’s a treat.

At the Musee International d’Hologerie, seeing three pieces by Abraham-Louis Breguet: a prototype, the inspiration for a current offering and a clock that I would love to have on my desk!

Meeting a young independent, Shona Taine who is chasing her ambitions with wonderful delight

Seeing a Breguet tourbillon which fits my wrist if not my current budget! (shown here with a better shot than I could grab)

💰1479 Marketplace Listings for Audemars Piguet›

personal highlights from W&W plus more

personal highlights from W&W plus more

This Damn PF is contaminating a lot of us!

Fortunately [for my wallet], the bracelet doesn’t have a micro-adjustment feature

They are sexy as hell! I need one! (or two!)

I knew it! ;)

You can always change it for a strap. I am sure our dear Yaco has great ideas... ;)

Yes I need micro on a bracelet too!

Bravo – much appreciated!

you are most welcome.

Excellent post. Looks like a fabulous week in Switzerland!

indeed it was. Ahead I was unsure whether a visit to the "final, public" days of W&W would be worth it. When packed with everything else, my concerns were unfounded.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

YW. I'm glad we have this platform for sharing.

Well said!

SOT, but why doesn't...

Thanks for sharing and Shona Taine's watches look amazing!!

This is really good...